Tuesday, July 29, 2008

I am so excited about the collaborative involvement that's already happening at the shop! Longtime Local resident JUDY MCLEAN is our current featured artist, and we have our featured artists lined up for January and February (fine artists ERIN MEANEY) as well as March and April (art therapist and fine artist PAMELA PENDLEBURY). We have also been in touch with some musicians and I am totally looking forward to having live music!!! (JACKIE BELLOWS and her Jazz band--can't wait!)

I'll post sneak peaks as soon as I get the images. Also, our party for our artists, consigners, and Apotheca Chics will be Friday, August 22! (the day before Ashley Pullen and Branden Naults wedding, I promise, we won't stay up too late!) We'll be sending out invites ASAP.

So many of you have expressed an interest in meeting the other apotheca artists, and I can't wait!

Friday, July 25, 2008

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Well, we have been open in the new space for 44 hours and 36 working minutes and I think it has gone pretty well! This week we have had a lot of training, perfecting our barista, flowers, gifts, tea, pastry, ADD with-a-smile-multi-tasking skills--and I think we are doing awesomely! Chelsea, my quantifier, has picked up our new product lines/production with ease, and her subtle milk swooshy sounds are getting quite fabulous.

Megan, your sweet consistency is so appreciated and you have fearlessly yet femininely conquered The Machine--good job!

Corey, who vows to be my best employee EVER, brings mad enthusiasm and killa organization skills to the table (much needed in the Apotheca madness).

Kristin, your years of experience and laid back silly style are so great...I love that you know what you are doing and that you are always giggling about something!

Janet processed for the first time yesterday and made some BEAUTIFUL floral gatherings. It's been nearly 2 1/2 years since your suitcase full of flowers across the county trip, thanks for sharing your Wednesdays with us.

Foxy Roxy--need I say more? You are the Gypsy Giver.

Patti my silly, Should Be on Broadway Diva--can you believe it? Thanks for dropping your fairy dust all over the stinkin' place.

Sarah, your first real day is today! You're gonna rock. Remember, the Machine is your friend.... It doesn't want to hurt you. AND you always look like you stepped out of JCREW catalog--that's gotta give you confidence in those week moments. Teach me.... : )

Susan, last weekend on our way to deliver the wedding, you rode in the front seat (instead of the back) with me and didn't cover your eyes once. That was a huge step!!! Thank you for making me go to Odiorne point on Sunday. We had so much fun. You can boss me around with maternal authority any time and I love your now signature "button touch".

Christi. You approve. Your approval is what I live for. Not really, but you know. You did cry when you saw the menu board. That was the biggest compliment EVER!!! We have come a long way from the vase dump nearly 3 years ago....and even when you're not there, your inspired touch can be residually traced back in nearly every nook and cranny.

Mom. : ) teehee you are the glue.

--yes I am a disaster. Over the years I have learned to embrace that and stop hiding the deep dark secret. Hardware Mike called me Pig Pen the other day. He tried to explain the cloud was curious activity rather than dirt--curious enough to cause one to take cover but peep through a hole --safely watching from a distance. Not sure how to take that, but I offer now this food for thought from Nietzche: "one must have chaos within one's self to give birth to a dancing star." and I add, in order to survive despite herself, one must be surrounded by dancing stars brave enough to jump in to the madness.

Thank you for being brave and for each your one of a kind contributions-- collaboratively making Apotheca a great place that acknowledges, uplifts, and inspires as we move into our current future. Hang on! It's gonna be fun : )

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Today was our first day in our new space, officially open to our wonderful customers again! It was good to have so many of you stop in for a taste of our new pastry lineup and order coffee, tea, espressos, and smoothies! We are finally back in the storefront flower and gift business, too, after being closed for about 3 weeks in preparation for today!

Check out our Artisan Gallery! This month's local artist is Judy McLean. Her watercolor paintings are incredible, and if you haven't seen her cards with watercolors of historic local homes and buildings, you are missing out!

Friday, July 18, 2008

Finally!!! Tomorrow we open the doors and will add teas, espresso, coffee, smoothies, and pastries to our repertoire! It has been a long time coming, but here we are! Please stop in and see us! Yea!!!!!

Monday, July 14, 2008

We have made some great progress the last few days and are really looking forward to officially opening our doors to our patient customers again! They have faithfully stopped by with offers of help, peeks at our progress, and words of encouragement... SOON!!

Our Grand Opening will be the second weekend in September.

Jeremiah helped today. One of his jobs was screwing down the legs of the sinks..

Roxann bails us out while Alyssa is down with strep..Thank you, Rox!!

Hey! It's starting to look like a coffee bar! Yipee!

Katie works her magic on the wall above our wrap station - painting our updated logo.

Saturday, July 12, 2008

OK, so I am supposed to be at the shop busting my rear with everyone, (and eating some of today's pastry delivery) but instead I spent the day in the E.R. getting treatment for Strep. Meanwhile my killa' fam and Foxy Roxy held down the fort. Thank you so much!!!

It appears that one's body will undergo only so much abuse before it retaliates. Bummer.

Here are the pieces that Rox did for today's event. Great job! The mod yellow and black scheme is going be placed on white and black polka-dot linens. I don't know what we would have done without you today, thank you...

Here are pictures of the curtains that Mom hung in the bridal consultation room and the art gallery area. I don't care what anybody says, I LOVE my wallpaper : ) and the mirror from White Birch Antiques looks awesome above Grandma Elsie's old table.

This is the gallery space--it needs to be cleaned out a bit, but we'll get there! I am really excited that Goffstown Art Group will be moderating the gallery space. We will be featuring a new artist every few months--artist reception and all. We also hope to be working with John of Perras Auto at some point this year to offer the Apotheca Gallery to showcase superior work done by women in the local prison. Some of these women are so talented and I can't wait to offer them an outlet!

And can I just say thank you God for Prednisone, Penicillin, and Hydrocodan. I feel better already.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Just a quick update....we are waiting the completion of the espresso bar and may have to reconfigure the cooler a bit. NO big deal, right?? However, our first shipment of pastries is due to arrive on Saturday. The cool thing is, we can't legally be open yet, so they are free (thus the gracefully-bumbling-sort-of, part) But alas, we shall overcome! Just a few snap shots of how far we have come and a thank you again to the people that bless my life--especially my girls, Christi, Chelsea, Patti, Foxy Roxy, Megan, Sarah, Susan, Janet and our fabulous pastoral driver (not one of the girls, but still fabo) Mr. Matt K. (Joy I am still hoping to nab you now that you're a free girl--SOMETHING will work), and Kristen, I can't wait to experience your barista-ness, AND, my friends that overlap on all planes, AND my kickin' family--where would I be without you--huddled in the corner with the Lucky Puppy for sure.

Thank you for patiently standing by. Monday here we come! I hope. (feel free to say a prayer).